Culinary implement



Sept. 5, 1944, H. RAYMOND' 357,764

CULINARY IMPLEMENT Filed March 14, 1944 llliwl Wye/wey gm Patented Sept. 5, 1944` l UNITED s'rATlzs'y PATEISLQFFICE 2,357,164 cULmAnY mrumnu'r Harry Raymond, Madison, N. J'.

Application Maren 14, 1944, serial No. 520,361 1 claim. (ci. 294-7) My invention relates to improvements in culinary implements for use especially, although not necessarily, in turning articles of food in a frying pan, or on a griddle, the principal object in view being to provide an easily handled, simply constructed device of the spatular type with opposed clamping blades for holding food articles therebetween, when being turned, with variable pressure, as the case may require, and which are easily operative to release the articles of food and permit such articles to slide gently from between the blades into a pan, or the like, so as to obviate splashing hot grease and breaking up food in turning operations.

Another object is to provide an implement of the type and for the purposes above set forth which is also adapted for use as a single-bladed spatula in picking up articles of food from a pan or griddle, and which is inexpensive to manufacture.

Other and subordinate objects are also comprehended by my invention, all of which, together with the precise nature of my improvements, will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claim are read with reference to the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specication.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in plan of my improved `culinary implement in its preferred embodiment;

and

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation with parts broken away and shown in section, the blades being shown closed in full line and the upper blade being open in dotted lines.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, my improved culinary implement, as illustrated, comprises a pair of lower and upper flat blades I, 2, respectively, which, generally speaking, are of rod-like, elongated rectangular form with rounded front end corners 3 and tapering rear end portions 4 having rounded terminals 5.

The lower blade I has the rear end portion 4 and terminal 5 thereof riveted, as at 6, to the flattened straight front end 1 of a rod-like shank 8 provided with an intermediate straight portion 9 inelining upwardly and rearwardly from the end 'I and merging into a rear end shank portion I0 inclining upwardly and rearwardly from said portion 9 and suitably secured in the front end of an elongated hand grip II.

The upper blade 2 has the rear end portion 4 and terminal 5 thereof secured in the same manner as lthe lower blade I on the front end I2 of a shank I3 similar in all respects to the shank 8 with the exception that the rear end portion I4 thereof terminates in a rounded dat thumb or finger piece I5.- l

The shank I3 of the upper blade 2 is pivotally mounted on the shank 8 above the latter and in spaced-apart relation thereto by means of a U-clip I 6 spanning theintermediate portion 9of the shank 8 and suitably secured to said portion, as by a pin I1, to extend forwardly from said portion, said clip I8 straddling the intermediate portion I8 of the shank I8, and said intermediate portion I 8 being pivoted to said clip I6 by a transverse pivot pin I9.

Intermediate `the shanks 8 and I 3 is a coil spring Z'II'ciremnposed on a' transverse stud 2I carried by the clip I6, the ends oi.' said spring extending j rearwardly and bearing against the shanks 8 and I 3. As best shown in Figure 2, one end of the spring 20 bears against the rear side of the shank I8 in the rear of the pivot pin I9, whereby said shank ,I3 is urged in a direction to yieldingly maintain the upper blade 2 engaged with the lower blade I and said blades in closed clamping relation. As shown in Figure 2, in full lines, in the closed relation of the blades. I and 2, said blades are engaged adjacent their front` lower blade, the advantage of which will present-` ly appear.

In using the described `implement, with they handle II grasped in one hand, the blades I and 2 may be separated, as desired. by pressure of the thumb of said hand or a finger thereof on the thumb piece I5 so that food in a pan may be picked up by the lower blade I and clamped between said blade by the action 'of the spring 20 under variable pressure which may be determined by the pressure exerted against the thumb piece I5. By a slight turn of the implement, the article of food may be turned over and by suiiicient pressure on the thumb piece I5, the blades I and 2 may beropened and the article of food released to be slid oil' the blade 2 by proper tilting of the implement. By having the upper blade 2 extend beyond the lower blade I, in the manner described, with said blades I and 2 in closed position, the upper blade 2 may be used as a single blade spatula for picking up food out of a pan or the like, if desired. As indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, the thumb piece I5 is designed to engage the shank I and limit Opening movement of the upper blade 2, and the thumb piece I5 is arranged directly in front of the handle Il for convenience in operation by a thumb or finger of the hand grasping the handle I I.

The foregoing will, it is believed, sumce to impart a ciear understanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly.' the invention, as described, is sus,

ceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved .to such modicationsas fall Within the scope of the appended claim.

What; I claim is: A culinary implement comprising an elongated hand grip, a rod-like shank extending from the front end of said hand grip, a at grid-like blade attached to and extending forwardly from the front end of saidshank, a second rod-like shank,

v interposed between said Shanks and exrting pressure against the second-mentioned shank in the rear of the pivot thereof, the means first mentioned comprising a U-clip straddling said shanks, and carrying a transverse stud to which said spring is anchored.

HARRY RAYMOND. 

